Flooring.



J. 0. DUNTON.

FLOORING.

APPLICATION :FILED JAN.2, 1912.

Patented NOV. 18, 1913.

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2 SHEETS- ff.' f

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.1, C. DUNTON.

FLOORING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2,1912,

Patented NOV. 18, 1913.

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JOJINC. DUNTOJT, OF GRAND RAPILDS,l MICHIGAN.

FLOORING.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Nov. 18,1913.

Application ted January 2, 1912. Serial No. 668,805.

To 7l Iwho/n 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. DUN'roN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flooring, of which the following is a specitica-- tion.

This invention relates to flooring.

The objects of this invention are to provide an improved construction ofwood flooring in which the end grain of the wood is eftectivelypresented, and the small blocks or sections -arc securely joinedtogether and presented in pleasing form or design, and liability ofdistortion or warping is overcome.

Objects relating to details and economies of construction willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

Preferred embodiments of my invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure I is a section of flooring as made up embodying the features ofmy invention in its simplest form, four of thesquares being here joined.Fig. II is a detail view of the assembling of the planks or boardsconstituting one step of the process ot' producing my improved iooring.Fig. III in dicates the method of slicing the sections from the end,which may be the next step of the process in its simplest form. Fig. IVshows an additional step of the process in which the end sections aresliced into strips. Fig. V shows the next step ofthe process in whichtapered dovetail tongues and grooves are formed on the block sections,the position of alternate strips being end for end when compared withthe strip improvements in as -cut ott. Fig. VI shows one of the completesquares made up ofthe blocks constituting a single square section of myim*` proved flooring. Fig. VII is a detail cross section view, showingthe metal tongue and the method of tonguing and grooving between thefinished squares. Fig. VIII is a modified assembling ot' planks orboards and veneers showing a more complex form of my invention, in whichspecial designs are produced. Fig. IX is a detail view of this complexstructure sliced off lengthwise the grain with veneers applied to thesides of the sliced oit section, and the strip of blocks cut from theend thereof. Fig. X shows a detail section of the fioorng in this morecomplex form, showing the way in which the tongues and grooves are thereformed.

In the drawings, similar numerals of reference refer to similar partsthroughouitl the several views.

In Fig. I, I show a general View of a section of oor as formed accordingto my invention, the section there shown being made up of four completesquares. These squares are made up of blocks in suoli form that the endsof the grain of the wood are exposed to view and wear and warping anddistortion is avoided. I accomplish this by forming the wood into stripsmade up of a series of blocks 2, and half blocks 8, see particularlyFig. I, glued or joined together. This is accomplished by piling anumber of boards or planks 5-5 and a hoard or plank G of halt thethickness on top of each other and forming glued joints between thesame. The board of halt the thickness may be either at the top orbottom. lVhen this is done in the simplest form of my invention, I cutott a slice with a cross cut saw on the line 7, producing blocks likethose appearing in Fig. III, and rip sawing on the lines S, see Fig.III, forming the same into a series of strips as seen in Fig. IV. lVhenthese strips are thus formed, I form dovetailed tongues and grooves onthe opposite'sides thereof, see particularly Fig. V, on a'Lindermandovetailing machine, the said dovetailed tongue 9 being tapered and thecorresponding dovetail groove 10 being similarly formed and tapered onthe opposite side. I .reverse the position of each alternate strip ofblock so that in adjacent strips the half blocks 3 will be at oppositeends of the strips and the joints between the blocks will be brokenbetween the adjacent si ri s. This disposes the blocks so that the tenencies of the blocks to warp react the one against the other, thusinsuring a tlateven tioor. Around the outside of a square or block thatis thus assembled, I insert a' metal tongue 4I in a suitable narrowgroove 4', which joins these sections together. The relation ot theseparts and their grooving is indicated in Figs. VI and VII. j

In the structures of Figs. VIII, IX and X, I show the method otproducingfancy designs by variegated colors of the wood. In joining the lumberfor this complex form, I intersperse layers of veneer these blocks Islice again by .3', as seen in Fig. VIII. I then slice the samelengthwise, as indicated in Fig. VIII, and on the tace of these slabs Iaply an additional layer of veneer'l 13, see Fig'. IX. I then cross cutthe `strips of blocks from the ends of the slab. The layer of veneer 13is applied jon the side of the block on which the dovetailed groove 15of the stri will be formed. A dovetailed tongueli 1s formed on theopposite side of the block onwhich there is no`veneer', and the groove15 is of such depth as to reach through the veneer into the blockbeyond.`

The relation of these parts appears very clearly `in Fig. X. When thestructure is assembled, it will be observed that the parts are verysecurely retained together by the dovetailed tongue and groovestructure, and that all joints are broken and each of the smaller blocksis outlined by the material, the veneer, which may be of different coloror character, producing a very pleasing effeet in the completed design,where the parts are firmly locked as Well as glued together. In eitherAstyle of Hoor, it is probably best to out the built-up timberlengthwise into slabs in the first instance.

. It is best to form this iiooring into composite squares to beassembled together.

blocks with the grain vertical and with the ,end grain exposed, the saidblocks being The same, however, need not be put into this form, but thework of laying the same is greatly facilitated thereby.

From the description I have given, it will be observed that thisflooring is capable of very great variations in designs, the sameproducing a very etfectivetloor in which all parts are securely joined.It will be possible to utilize waste ieces 7for this purpose, althoughthe pro uction of the flooring is so economical that any ,lumber can bevery readily and protably used. The availability of the invention,however, for utilizing waste pieces is very apparent because the endgrain is utilized, and is of a good deal of advantage where the plant isengaged in a manufacture which occasions considerable waste.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. YA floor construction made up of wood blocks with the grain vertical,and with the end grain ex osed, the said blocks being disposed andjoined together in strips with layers of veneer therebetween, the

strips being coupl'd together by tapered blocks with the gra-in verticaland with the end grain exposed, the said blocks being disposed 'andjoined together in stripswith layers of veneer therebetween, the Stripsbeing coupled together by dovetailed longitudinal tongue and groovejoints, and with a layer of veneer on the grooved side of the stripsthrough which said groove is formed and which is divided thereby, thejoints between the blocks on the adjacent strips being broken to jointhe parts se' curely and overcome distortion, as specified. 3. A` floorconstruction made up of wood disposed and joined together in strips, thestrips being coupled together by tapered dovetailed longitudinaltongue`and groove joints, the joints between the blocks on the ladjacentstrips being broken to join the parts securely and overcome distortion,the position of the blocks being retainedvby the wedging of the taperingo the dovetail, as

specified.

In witness whereof, .I have hereunto set Vmy hand and seal in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. DUNTQN. [Ls] Witnesses:

FRED R. JEAN, J. C. FERRY.

